Energetic material is used in a variety of devices. Examples of such are warheads, demolition devices, pyrotechnics, propellants and the like, for use in war as well as in peacetime applications.
Present manufacturing techniques for producing energetic materials in more complicated shapes other than simple squares, rectangles, spheres and cones has, to the present, been a major limitation in the preparation of multicomponent systems. Specifically, the use of several energetic material components in the same device is difficult if the shapes of the two components are not simple.
The use of multiple energetic material components is also limited when the device itself requires unusual or difficult to form shapes. At best, present technology permits the manufacture of multi-component energetic materials only in one or two dimensions, thus substantially limiting the design parameters for many explosive devices.
At the present time, development of multi-component energetic devices has not been attempted because there is no means available to manufacture them. Such devices would be of great advantage to the energetic material industry if they would be possible to enhance the performance of weapon systems.
Examples of systems that would be greatly improved if such a development were to be made include multiple formed penetrators suing a single point of initiation. For example, a precursor slug could be fired in advance of a self forging fragment to defeat armor if multi-component energetic devices existed.
Also, multiple infrared generators would be developed to use in a decoy flare to better simulate the target being protected. In addition, rocket motors might be tailored to have more complex burning rate characteristics with the use of multi-component energetic materials and constructions.
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide an improved manufacturing process for energetic devices.
Another object of this invention is to provide a method for manufacturing multi-component energetic material in three dimensional shapes.
Other objects will appear hereinafter.